The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-07-01
On the Brink.
ny HARRIET A. cHEEvEB.

JIG out sheh W. W. .o'ssh -
well, and this, after all, will be the first
large party we ever have given. Bow
ers will attcnt to the floral decorations,
and the Mendelssohn orchestra will
snrnish such delectable music 1t will
be Just splendid. know, and please
cant have dress made at Crash's
Just this once ?"
A pa of lustrous brown eyes were
raised with languid grace to John
Oh sholm's face as the girlsh, rambling
speech ended with its beseeching quer-
ny. II was altogether bewitching
lace which John gazed upon as his
young wife turned towards him. He
nad never been able to resist the pow
er OF her beauty. never since he had
met her five years before-a sweet
dainty girl OF eighteen years.
She had now been his wife for four
wears, and not one whit less charming
Cad she grown in his eyes since the day
ne brought her, lovely bride, to their
handsome new house in the city. And
to the fond husbands mind there SEEM
cd always to dwell in the depths o. his
uife's luminous eyes an EXPIRE ion
recognized only by himself. An ex-
preston causing vague conviction
chat away down beneath the pleasing
sostness of their bright CLEAN there
was hidden an undcrcurrent of power,
of womanly strength, which might
manifest itself upon occasion.
For any one unfortunate enough to
nave lost both parents while a mere
child Helen Chisholm had yet been a
very fortunate person. Rather an in
.congruous observation as first viewed.
but true enough when understood. For
when the little Helen had met her I'M
recognized loss, an indulgent old grand
father had taken her to his comfortable
home, and with motherly housekeeper
90 pet and care for her, the little girl
had budded into maidenhood and
blossomed into early womanhood with
out having known serious anxiety or
being brought face to face with any OF
Ghe sterner lessons of life.
Then John Chisholm had como to the
village one day. and although other ad-
Tnirers had tried without success to
win the favor of the beautiful girl,
there was that about this fne-looking
gentleman with his grave. kindly face
and ten years of superior age. which
had speedily attracted the fiower-like
Helen. And so conquest had been
easy enough for John Chisholm where
it had been impossible for younger and
perhaps Weather lovers.
For Mr.. Chisholm was not rich, al
though on marrying he found himself
able TO provide cozy, inviting home
he could fondly call his own, and with
in he happily established fair young
mistress whose graceful person and
winsome manners soon rendered her a
great favorite in the gay get refined
circle into which her husband had
proudly introduced her. And perhaps
Il was not strange that the flattering
attractions lavished upon her should
have resulted in desire to plunge
deeply into the fascinating and
expensive pleasures of her new as
sociates.
Two wears after her marriage Mrs.
Chisholm's grandfather had died and
the little property left was divided be-
tween two surviving sons. But the
salary received from the monied cor
poration of which Mr.. Chisholm was
the trusted treasurer, ought to have
proved sufficient for more than merely
comfortable living.
Yes, the salary ought to have proved
ample income for family of two per-
sons or even three times that number.
but alas, for the exactions of fashiona-
bic life in the city!
Had any one ever limited to John
Chisholm in his bachelor days, that
even mighty love for the woman that
he might call his wife could tempt him
for moment beyond the bounds oil
strlctest prudence and integrity, he
would have laughed the unlikely idea
TO scorn. But little by little he had
unwisely yielded to his wife's ambition
10 vie with the customs and habits OF
those far better of than themselves.
and the snare was one so easily fallen
into that threatened ENHANCEMENT